New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-09
THE ROMANCE or A CONVICT.
HOPING FOR PARDON AFTER NINETEEN
YEARS

VALUABLE INVENTIONS WHILE IN PRIsON-POsstBLf
A CASE or MISTAKEN IDENTIFY.
CorUMDUs, o., Jan 7.-Within few months the
Ohio penitentary has becoms prominent In PRINT rom
soandalous exposures Of Democratic msmanaee-
mont but the investigation also disclosed the fact THAI
many Of the oonvics have led romantic oven If vicious
lives Tho ,st remark able convict In tho prison is
Billy " Carroll. who Is serving life sentence for
crime of which he claims to he innocent. In 1855
party Of cracksmen descended upon IT, Brown County
treasury in Georgetown Cincinnati. The work OF
" blowing" the safe was interrupted by Adam Rose.
the jantor who, not content with spelling the job.
lshed to himself it'll glory by arresting the
four thev singlehauded. Naturally enough Rose
was left dead BY the safe and his murdercrs fed.
Public Indignation famed and the four were caught
Huling Ben ton, Jones and Carroll. At New-Rich-
mond Carroll escaped from Deputy Peter Mccormick.
and every effort made to capture him. year
later lie was reported living at Freeport III. The
Oficers who went for him found f. w Smith, pros
porous foundryman, suspected of being Billy Carroll
aud would not believe 1t, for Billy Carroll was uo'ed
az a professional crsoksuau and Smith as good
citizen But convince bis of his innocence
Smith went to Brown County Of bi- oHn accord aud
invited trial To bis surprise jury found him guilty
of murder the second degree, and bis sentence was
for life The other received various sentences
and all have either their time been pardoned.
Even Huling who sentenced to be hanged.
served eight years after his sentence had
been committed, aud was pardoned.
Smith wac snatched from prosperous business and
a loving wife of a year TO bsziu living death
He has confined for nineteen years longer than AL
the Others served together. lie Is known not Smith
but as Billy Carroll, and he s the only prisoner who
has lived more than fifteen years in solitary cootnc-
M nnt N his cell N thai
The story of his life he tells it has almost convinced
several Governors of mis- innocence, and the present
administration has had his pardon under serious con-
sideration. He would have been pardoned years ago
except tor the TACT that in 1870 he killed fellow-con
Wet who had attacked him In the foundry. For thus
Carroll was col yicted OF manslsughter and sentenced
ten years Imprisonment. This term he has served
out That O lite u ntenc' could he sen
fenced ten years additional seems peculiar, vet he
court considered IL matter Of form necessary TO he
followed. This Is his story
Carroll or Smith, he calls himself was born IN
New-York forty-two years tie parents are still
living and arc wealthy. HE brother IL prominent
official on Western railroad. Edward was born
fully equipped u machinist manage any esta bs-
ment. lie enlisted Ia the lst Missouri Cavalry aud
General Lyon killed at Wilson Creek lie ~as
during tho Missouri campaign, under General john e.
Black. Commissioner Of Ponsions. and he relates
many an incident OF their acquaintance. He
transferred to the guuboat service aud captured
wa. exchanged. Ouoe when sent to Cincinnati Tor
arms smith was present when Governor Foraker then
mere boy, enlisted. He says the youth OF the future
Governor int. ested him, aud he learned his name
never 10 forget ii.
The war ended Smith settled in Freeport, Ill.,, a
foundryman He had money which he had in
herited and increased. During the war he had fallen
in love with the daua liter OF Major Armstrong
Chicago The father objected to the proposed alliance
and the rosult clio cement. Two years later the
husband Was torn ava, by the law aud the wife stood
by him noby. After paying the expenses OF the trial
., ~, wnrt vhaph
. saS pro here Us began Ills wife .od ali and cent
him the money lie sent II back asking her TO keep it
tor h-rsef as he would never need 1t. She tat ght
music in Chicago resisting the wish o her father that
she should be divorced from Smith and marry ply
= clan who had Nooed her az Smiths unsuccessfu
rival Borne down upon by father, lover and iriends
she consented to divorce when sue heard OF ner NUS
bands orime in prison. pom the, too came tho
Chicago fire In 1871. and burned her home which
Smith. money had procured The courts gave the
wife divorce because her husband was convict and
he had no chanrs IN meet the suit
In tho midst Of his prison sorrow Smith was told OF
his wiie's marriage TO another, and he has seldom
mentioned her since. But he has been regarded
solitary confinement Hc has been constantly busy,
aud cell, which is nearly over that from which the
rebel John Morgan escaped, has been enlarged into
workshop. ehas taken out several valuable patents
while In prison AMI bas refused 900 tor one, while
others are Of nowledged value. His steam trap is
apparatus used in the prison He is an expert in
iewery and iancy work He hopes TO be released and
then expecA TO become rich from his inventions. His
aim for pardon IL his innocence and there serious
doubt OF his guilt He claims to have been In Buffalo
when the Rose murder was committed. Moreover.
Mccormick. the guard from bonn Carroll escaped at
New Richmond became IL guard In the prison severn
wears afterward He this man and at once de-
@ AIRED that he not the Billy Carroll arrested
originally for the Rose murder not the man who had
escaped him. There are additional facts TO support
srros claim of innocence but tho terrible temper OF
the man and his frequent exhibitions of it have kept
him IN confinement.